Long-term sensitization in Aplysia increases the number of presynaptic contacts onto the identified gill motor neuron L7

Abstract

We have used the gill and siphon withdrawal reflex of Aplysia to study the morphological basis of the persistent synaptic plasticity that underlies long-term sensitization. One critical locus for storage of the memory for sensitization is the set of monosynaptic connections between identified siphon sensory neurons and gill and siphon motor neurons. To complement previous morphological studies of the presynaptic terminals of identified sensory neurons, we examined the effects of long-term sensitization on the structure of an identified postsynaptic target--the gill motor neuron L7. We found an increase in the frequency, size, and vesicle complement of presynaptic contacts onto L7 processes in sensitized compared to control animals. Combined, these data indicate a striking increase in the percentage of the surface area of L7 that is occupied by synaptic contacts after long-term training. These results are consistent with our observations that sensitization produces an increase in the synapses that the sensory neurons make on their target cells and provide additional support for the hypothesis that changes in synapse number may represent a mechanism underlying long-term memory.